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US 2009/0242537 A1Published application
Heater apparatus, system, and method for stabilizing a sheet material
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorMichael Yoshiya Nishimoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for stabilizing a sheet material by near-field levitation comprises a heater plate including a heating element and a radiation surface which vibrates when the heater plate receives an acoustic wave. The apparatus further comprises at least one vibration source coupled to the heater plate and operable to transmit the acoustic wave to the heater plate.
Claims20
A heater apparatus for stabilizing a sheet material, comprising:
- a heater plate including a heating element and a radiation surface which vibrates when the heater plate receives an acoustic wave;
- and
- at least one vibration source coupled to the heater plate and operable to transmit the acoustic wave to the heater plate.
A system for stabilizing a sheet material, comprising:
- a pair of side walls defining a channel for receiving the sheet material;
- a plurality of heater plates arranged on opposite sides of the channel, each of the heater plates including a heating element and a radiation surface which vibrates when the heater plate receives an acoustic wave;
- and
- a plurality of vibration sources coupled to the plurality of heater plates and operable to transmit acoustic waves to the heater plates.
1 more element
A method of stabilizing a sheet material, comprising:
- receiving an unconstrained portion of the sheet material between a plurality of heater plates arranged at opposite sides of a channel, each of the heater plates including a heating element and having a radiation surface which vibrates when the heater plate receives an acoustic wave;
- transmitting acoustic waves to the heater plates;
- and
- creating standing waves between the radiation surfaces and unconstrained portion which levitate the unconstrained portion and maintain the unconstrained portion in a selected plane.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.